Top 4 Reasons why I love (and hate) Pinterest

Oh…. Pinterest…. My best friend and my biggest enemy when it comes to designing wedding stationery.  Pinterest wasn’t around when I got married (I got married in 2006 and Pinterest launched in 2010).  But if it had I probably would have gotten very overwhelmed!  I was limited to wedding magazines and google images searches.  It was the dark ages! But when it comes to wedding stationery there are good things and bag things about Pinterest. 
Why I LOVE Pinterest:

1. Pinterest is the best place to get ideas.  There are billions (yes… billions… with a “B”) of pictures on Pinterest. I am sure at least one billion of them are wedding related pictures.  Ok… I don’t know for certain but that has to true, right?  There are more pictures than anyone thought could be in one place.  It is great for seeing what you want to incorporate into your day.
2. You can find anything on Pinterest.  Literally.  Whatever search terms you type in the box it will find you results.  So even if your theme is super obscure you will find something on Pinterest that will fit that search.
3. As a designer, I love when people share designs they found on Pinterest.  Whether it is the color they are going for or design elements they would like to include (Note: I will NOT copy a design exactly.  That is unethical in my opinion and I just won’t do it).  I am a visual person so I understand much better when shown a picture instead of being explained ideas.  If there are multiple designs that have elements you like it is a great place to find all the things you love and keep track of them in one place.
4. If you don’t know what you want or envision for your day you can just start clicking and liking things and get ideas.
   

Love, Every Wedding Stationery Designer

Why I HATE Pinterest:

1. It can be overwhelming.  There are so many pictures and you can see so many things you like and then get overwhelmed by making decisions on the direction you want to go.  Too many choices is actually a bad thing.
2. The Pinterest Fail- we have all heard the term.  You see something you love on Pinterest and because it is done so well you think you can pull off the same thing.  Unfortunately, probably not.  It is best to use Pinterest for inspiration instead of copying exactly.  Keep your expectations in check.
   
3. Love a design but can’t find the designer.  If there is not a direct link back to the person who did it odds are you will never find that designer.  This can also be difficult for me because people want an exact design but I will not copy (not that I can't, just that I won't)
   
4. Not all things on Pinterest are possible.  For a variety of reasons.  Maybe the fire code is different for your venue versus the one in the photo.  Maybe that color tablecloth is discontinued.  Maybe there are copyright issues involved with the design.  Maybe that wedding dress is discontinued by the designer and no longer available.  There are many reasons why it is not possible and that can be very disappointing. 
   

There are many pros and cons to Pinterest.  But it is a necessary evil.  Can’t live with it, can’t live without it.  Be cautious of falling in love with an idea on Pinterest.  Make sure you go into it with an inspiration lens and not expecting to see your Pinterest pictures come to life exactly the same way on your wedding day.  This will allow you to keep from being disappointed but, more importantly, will make the designs unique to you and your wedding day.

Keywords: wedding, wedding inspiration, Pinterest, Pinterest fail, wedding invitations, save the dates